Naim Süleymanoğlu facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Naim Süleymanoğlu

Süleymanoğlu in 1996
Personal information
Birth name	Naim Syuleimanov
Nickname(s)	The Pocket Hercules
Nationality	Turkish
Citizenship	Bulgaria & Turkey
Born	(1967-01-23)23 January 1967 Ptichar, Kardzhali Province, Bulgaria
Died	18 November 2017(2017-11-18) (aged 50) Istanbul, Turkey
Years active	1982–2000
Height	1.47 m (4 ft 10 in) (2000)
Weight	62 kg (137 lb) (2000)
Sport
Country	Bulgaria (1977–1986) Turkey (1986–2000)
Sport	Olympic weightlifting
Event(s)	56 kg (1983), 60 kg (1985–1992), 64 kg (1993–1996), 62 kg (2000)
Turned pro	1983
Retired	2000
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	Snatch: 152.5 kg (1988, WR) Clean & Jerk: 190.0 kg (1988, WR) Total: 342.5 (1988, WR)
Medal record Representing  Turkey Olympic Games Gold 1988 Seoul -60 kg Gold 1992 Barcelona -60 kg Gold 1996 Atlanta -64 kg World Championships Gold 1989 Athens -60 kg Gold 1991 Donaueschingen -60 kg Gold 1993 Melbourne 64 kg Gold 1994 Istanbul -64 kg Gold 1995 Guangzhou -64 kg European Championships Gold 1988 Cardiff -60 kg Gold 1989 Athens -60 kg Gold 1994 Sokolov -64 kg Gold 1995 Warsaw -64 kg Silver 1992 Szekszárd -60 kg Bronze 2000 Sofia -62 kg Representing  Bulgaria World Championships Gold 1985 Södertälje -60 kg Gold 1986 Sofia -60 kg Silver 1983 Moscow -56 kg European Championships Gold 1984 Vitoria -56 kg Gold 1985 Katowice -60 kg Gold 1986 Karl-Marx-Stadt -60 kg Silver 1983 Moscow -56 kg World Junior Championships Gold 1982 Sao Paulo -52 kg World Cup Final Gold 1984 Sarajevo -56 kg Gold 1985 Monte Carlo -60 kg World Cup Winner Gold 1984 Sarajevo -56 kg Gold 1985 Monte Carlo -60 kg Gold 1986 Melbourne -60 kg Friendship Games Gold 1984 Varna -56 kg

Naim Süleymanoğlu (born Naim Syuleimanov; January 23, 1967 – November 18, 2017) was an amazing Olympic weightlifter. He was born in Bulgaria but later became a citizen of Turkey. Naim was known for his incredible strength, even though he was only 147 cm (about 4 feet 10 inches) tall. This earned him the nickname "Pocket Hercules."

Many people consider Naim Süleymanoğlu to be one of the greatest weightlifters ever. He won seven World Championships and three Olympic gold medals. He also set an amazing 46 world records during his career. He was recognized for his achievements by being inducted into the International Weightlifting Federation Hall of Fame in 2000 and 2004.

Early Life and His Journey to Turkey

Naim Süleymanoğlu was born in a town called Ptichar in Bulgaria. His family was part of the Turkish ethnic group living in Bulgaria. His father was a miner, and both his parents were quite short.

Naim started weightlifting at a young age. He was so good that he set a world record when he was still a teenager! He was expected to win a gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics. However, Bulgaria joined a boycott of those games, so Naim couldn't compete.

Changing His Name and Leaving Bulgaria

In the 1980s, the Bulgarian government started a program called the Revival Process. This program forced ethnic minorities, like Naim's family, to change their names to sound more Bulgarian. They were also not allowed to speak their own languages. Because of this, Naim had to change his name to Naum Shalamanov in 1985.

These experiences made Naim want to leave Bulgaria. He secretly planned his escape with help from Turkish officials. In 1986, while he was at a competition in Melbourne, Australia, Naim managed to get away from his team. He went to the Turkish Embassy in Canberra and asked for help.

The Prime Minister of Turkey, Turgut Özal, heard about Naim's situation and arranged for him to travel to Turkey. Once he arrived in Istanbul, Naim changed his name back to Süleymanoğlu. He later said he never regretted his decision to leave Bulgaria because of how Turkish people were treated there.

Olympic Achievements and Rivalries

For Naim to compete for Turkey at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, the Turkish government had to pay Bulgaria $1.25 million. This payment allowed him to represent his new country.

Dominating the 1988 Seoul Olympics

At the 1988 Olympics, Naim competed in the featherweight division. He was so strong that he set multiple world records in the snatch and clean and jerk lifts. He even lifted 190.0 kg in the clean and jerk, which was 3.15 times his own body weight! This is the highest ratio of clean and jerk to body weight ever recorded.

Naim's total weight lifted was so high that he could have won the weight class above his own. His performance at the 1988 Seoul Olympics is considered one of the most dominant in weightlifting history. After these games, he became famous and was even featured on the cover of Time magazine.

More Olympic Gold Medals

Naim Süleymanoğlu briefly retired from weightlifting in 1989 but returned to the sport in 1991. He went on to win his second Olympic gold medal at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.

He won his third Olympic gold medal in a row at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. This competition was especially exciting because of his rivalry with Greece's Valerios Leonidis. The crowd was split, cheering for either the Turkish or Greek lifter. Naim and Leonidis traded world-record lifts, pushing each other to their limits. Naim eventually lifted 187.5 kg, and Leonidis was unable to lift 190 kg, giving Naim the gold. After the competition, Naim showed great sportsmanship by hugging Leonidis, who was very emotional. Many people called it the greatest weightlifting competition ever.

Naim tried to win a fourth Olympic gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, which would have been a new record. However, he was unable to complete his lifts and was eliminated from the competition.

Career Highlights and Legacy

Throughout his career, Naim Süleymanoğlu achieved incredible feats. He is the first and only weightlifter to have lifted 2.5 times his body weight in the snatch. He is also one of only a few lifters to have lifted three times his body weight in the clean and jerk. He even lifted 10 kilograms more than triple his bodyweight in the clean and jerk.

Naim won seven World Weightlifting Championships and three Olympic gold medals. He set a total of 46 world records. In 2001, he received the Olympic Order, a high award from the International Olympic Committee. He is celebrated as a national hero in Turkey and is widely regarded as the best pound-for-pound Olympic weightlifter of all time.

Personal Life and Passing

Naim Süleymanoğlu faced health challenges later in his life. He suffered from a serious liver condition. In September 2017, he was hospitalized due to liver failure. He received a liver transplant in October, but sadly, he passed away on November 18, 2017. He was buried in Edirnekapı Martyr's Cemetery in Istanbul.

A movie about his life, called Cep Herkülü: Naim Süleymanoğlu (Pocket Hercules: Naim Süleymanoğlu), was released in Turkey in 2019.

Naim Süleymanoğlu had three daughters with a Turkish woman. After his death, a Japanese woman claimed that her daughter was also his child. A DNA test confirmed this claim.

Major Results

Year	Venue	Weight	Snatch (kg)				Clean & Jerk (kg)				Total	Rank
			1	2	3	Rank	1	2	3	Rank
Olympic Games
1988	Seoul, South Korea	60 kg	145.0	150.5 WR	152.5 WR	1	175.0	188.5 WR	190.0 WR	1	342.5 WR
1992	Barcelona, Spain	60 kg	142.5	153	153	1	170	177.5	—	1	320
1996	Atlanta, United States	64 kg	145	147.5	147.5	1	180	185	187.5	1	335 WR
2000	Sydney, Australia	62 kg	145	145	145	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
World Championships
1983	Moscow, Soviet Union	56 kg	130.0 WR	—	—		160.0	—	—		290.0
1985	Södertälje, Sweden	60 kg	142.5	—	—		180.0	—	—		322.5
1986	Sofia, Bulgaria	60 kg	147.5 WR	—	—		187.5	—	—		335.5 WR
1989	Athens, Greece	60 kg	140.0	145.0	—		172.5	172.5	192.5		317.5
1991	Donaueschingen, Germany	60 kg	135.0	137.5	140.0		165.0	172.5	180.0		310.0
1993	Melbourne, Australia	64 kg	140.0	145.0	—		175.0	177.5 WR	—		322.5 WR
1994	Istanbul, Turkey	64 kg	142.5	145.0	147.5 WR		177.5	181.0	182.5 WR		330.0 WR
1995	Guangzhou, China	64 kg	145.0	145.0	147.5		180.0	185.0	—		327.5
Friendship Games
1984	Varna, Bulgaria	56 kg	132.5	—	—	1	165.0	—	—	1	297.5

Career Bests

• Snatch: 152.5 kg in the 60 kg weight class.
• Clean and jerk: 170.5 kg in 1984 in Varna in the 56 kg weight class.
• Clean and jerk: 190.0 kg in the 60 kg weight class.
• Total: 342.5 kg (152.5 + 190.0) at the 1988 Summer Olympics in the 60 kg weight class.
• Sinclair points: 504, which theoretically makes him the best lifter for his size ever.

Images for kids

• 

  Naim Süleymanoğlu's grave at Edirnekapı Cemetery, Istanbul.

See also

In Spanish: Naim Süleymanoğlu para niños